Slab foundation for buildings or other structures



Nov. 12, 1940. sT 2,221,193

' SLAB FOUNDATION FOR BUILDINGS OR OTHER STRUCTURES Filed D60. 10, 19381NVENTOR. 31 3 Gsaec-E (4s r/vs'e, 05054550,

Zr. 6 3/ By (445 am name/e, gnaw/dream (g. 55' 5 Z Z y f, ATTORNEYPatented Nov. 12, 1940 PATENT OFFICE,

SLAB FOUNDATION FOR BUILDINGS R Y OTHER STRUCTURES George Kastner,deceased, late of Milwaukee,'Wis., by Mascha Kastner, administratrix,Milwaukee,

Wis.

Application December 10, 1938, Serial No. 244,952

' .4 Claims. (01. 72-77) My invention relates to improvements in slabfoundations for buildings or other structures.

The use of a slab foundation in geographic areas, where freezingtemperatures cause heaving of the supporting earth, has been impracticalfor even though the interior of the superstructure be heated the marginsof the foundation which support the exterior walls are subjected to themovement of frosted earth and are displaced, cracked, and broken by thefrost heaved earth or other material upon which the slab is supported.

A solution for the problem has been more urgently required in the periodof years since reinforced monolithic slab construction has becomepopular where moderate temperatures permit of the use thereof, and alsoWhere the necessity for deep foundation walls has been eliminated in thenew economy of the baseme'ntless house, Ways and means have long beensought whereby to permit of the use of a single slab or basementlessfoundation for a superstructure in the frost af fected areas.

Broadly speaking, therefore, it is'the object of my invention to providea slab' construction whereby to make it possible'in frost aifected areasto use a slab foundation upon-which a superstructure may be safely "andpermanently built.

More particularly stated, it is the, object of my invention to provide aslab foundationin which the margins thereof, upon which the walls may besupported, are in turn inherentlysupported by a portion of the slabwhich hasa cantilever construction and in which the real support forsaid marginal portions of the slab is provided interiorly with respectto said margins and at a point and in a manner which insulates itthermally so that such support will not be affected by the heavinginduced by frost. I

Another object of my invention is to so construct the margins of .a slabfoundation as to make them non-responsive to the heaving of frostafiected earth or other supporting material.

In furtherance of the above objects it is also the object of myinvention to so construct and design the relation between the point ofsupport of the foundation slab and the exterior margin of the slab thatthis space may be used for the transmission of the heat in the building,by duct or other inclosure, and thus act as an agent in helping toprevent the earth under this foundation support from freezing andheaving.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows'an end elevation of a houselike superstructure upon aslab foundation, portions of the lower'part of the superstructure and ofthe slab foundation and its earth support being shown in verticalsection. Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed view in vertical "section of afoundation, its support, and a fragment of a superstructure wall inposition thereon.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 and show ing the installation ofa heating duct in conjunction with a slab foundation.

. '10 I Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a second form ofalternative heating pipe and plumbing installation.

Figure 5 shows in vertical section a marginal portion of a slabfoundation in conjunction with a purely frame floor and superstructureembodying one form of the principle of my invention.

Fig. 16 is a plan view of a corner of the frame structure shown inFigure 5.

Like parts are designated by the same reference'characters throughoutthe several views. In the construction of modern'basementlessstructures, such as low cost dwellings, the conventional shape ofbuilding Ill-calls for exterior walls H which conventionally aresupported marginally upon some sort of foundationwhich, in the northernpart of the United States, necessitates 'afoundation wall extendingbelow frost. This item alone is a considerable part of the whole cost ofan otherwise low cost house. It is for the purpose of obviating theexpense of foundation walls thatmy slab constructionis proid Y ,A slabfoundation, or floor I2, embodying my invention, consists of a heavy orreinforced floor for the building comprising the foundation for thesuperstructurev Ill with its walls I I. As shown in Figures. 1 to 4,inclusive, the slab is monolithic and'is preferably made of concreteeither of heavy construction, or reinforced so as to withstand thecantilever action hereinv described. The earth or soil l3 upon which theslab issupported is substantially leveled. accordingto good engineeringpractice and provided'with a bed-of dry material M such as cinders orgravel, At some distance from the extreme margins l5 of the slab Iprovide a downwardly extending foundation fulcrum l6 which, in the lightof the principles herein discussed, is positioned sufficiently from themargins l5 and outdoor temperature as to be thermally protected fromfrost, thus insuring that the fulcrum portion l6 of the foundation issafely rested upon earth [3 which is not to be 12 is unsupported but isof suflicient cantilevered bending strength to support with an adequatefactor of safety the weight to be placed marginally thereupon by anywalls I l.

Marginally of the slab l2 I provide an apron I! which is shaped asclearly shown in the drawing so that a relatively sharp edge isprojected downwardly. Against this apron I provide a -i'lll I3 of topsoil, or other material, but because of the sharp edge of the lowermargin of the apron I! together with the void space 20 there is nopossibility that the heaving by frost of this top soil will lift theslab.

It will be seen from the above description that the portion IQ of theslab which is extended exteriorly of the fulcrumed member IE issupported on a cantilever principle and externally of the fulcrum I6 adead air space 20 provided which is resistent thermally to the loss ofheat from the earth supporting the fulcrum. In this space 20 for asuperstructure that is to be heated I provide an air space 2| which maybe utilized by ducts or pipes for the passa'ge of heated air to thespace abovethe slab 1-2 or for the return of cooler air from the spaceabove the slab to a warm air heating or ventilating system, andfurthermore I may provide in thermally protected relationship to such aduct =2I'any other non- (hits or pipes -22 with which thebuildings maybe equipped. The passage of relatively warm air through the air space 21will act to further protect the supporting-fulcrum o-f the slab sinceheat losses from the ducts will guard against frost adjacent thefulcrum. If the air space 20 is not used as an air passage, the heatfrom within the building will, of course, assist in holding back thefrost line. Y I

In carrying out the principle of my invention in a purely frame dwellingor other building 30, I provide a slab 31 centrally of the building andextending relatively the same distance toward the exterior margin ofthebuilding as the fulcrum member I6 is spaced from such margin in thetype ofconstruction shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. Exteriorly ofthe slab 31 I provide a floating marginal slab 32 which is in hingedrelation to the slab 3| and supports no building load and may move withthe heaving of the subsoil. Upon the margin of the slab 3! I provide asill 33 to be used as the support for ordinary joists 34 which extendoutwardly of the slab 3| sufficiently to provide a cantilevered supportfor the frame exterior wall 35 formed of the usual studding andsheathing 36 and clap-boards 31 or other light weight construction. Withthis construction the floating slab 32 may move with the frost inducedheaving without disturbing the level of the joist 34 since the slab 31is thermally insulated from the exterior of the building. In thisconstruction space 38 corresponds in its utility to the space 2| in thepreviously outlined construction. Space 38 (utility space for pipes orducts) may be confined, by means of enclosing members, to the buildingperimeter area secured to the joist 34.

between the bottom of joists, top of slab, exterior wall, and the faceof the sill. Or it may include the entire space under the building areabetween the bottom of the flooring (which lays on top of the joists) andthe top of the slab. In the first instance an enclosing member would bebuilt up on top of sill 33 to the underside of the flooring. Sill'3-3may befcontinuous, or of individual members. placed under each joi's't.

As shown in Figure 6, the sill 33 terminates at 38', and joists 34supported thereby extend to double header -340, which is spiked orotherwise Joists 34| are spiked to the double header 340 and aresupported by the double header, thereby carrying out the structuralfoundation of the flame building to the extreme corner of the slabfoundation but floated thereabove so as not to be "responsive to anyheaving of the outer corner of the foundation.

In areas where severe winters prevail my fulcrum member H or the sill 33will be positioned at a considerable distance-from the exterior 'wallsof the building and in more moderate climates or wherethe heating of thebuilding can be relied upon, the fulcrum or sill member may be moreclosely adjacent the exterior walls.

I-claim: I

1-. In a slab foundation adapted for support upon frost responsive eartha marginal apron having downwardly converginglower extremitiesconstituting a non-load bearing shield against loss of heat byconnection and a fulcrum member for the support of the slab positionedinteriorly of the apron and spaced therefrom whereby the fulcrum membermay bdsu-pported upon ther mally protected earth support.

-2. A monolithic slab foundation having a sup porting fulcrum memberextending downwardly therefrom 'and a marginal depending apron for theslab whereby to form an inverted channel exterior-1y of said fulcrummember. g

'3. A slab foundation for a superstructure having exterior walls, anaproned cantilever portion of said slab in position to support saidwalls, a fulcrum member to support the slab and interiorly spaced withreference to said walls to provide a tunnel-like space between the apronand the fulcrum member and azduct in said tunnel space.

In a construction of the type disclosed, a slab foundation at roundlevel, a continuous channel beneath the slab peripherally thereofwhereby to provide overhanging margins unsupported by the groundtherebeneath, walls and weather protective super-structure supported bythe extreme margins of said overhanging portions of the slab in weatherprotective relation to the entire 'slab, a'iid an apron depending fromtheextr'e'ine margin of the slab to provide convectioh current andweather protection for said channel andpreserve the ground supportedpertions of the slab free from frost. V v p I p p I MASCI-IA KASTNER,

Adminis'ti'lttiid: of the Estate of George Kastner,

Deceased.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,221,195. November 12, 191m.

GEORGE KASTNER, deceased,

by MASCHA KASTNER, ADMINISTRATRIX.

Itis hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification ofthe above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,second column, line 52, claim 1, for the word "connection" read-convection-;

and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe readwith this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of December, A. D. l9LLO.

Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

